As we continue exploring current trends in PDP and campaign content, let's examine H&M’s summer output.

The brand produced a stunning campaign in Brazil’s jungle with renowned photographer Rafael Pavarotti, featuring Gen Z’s favorite model of the year Anok Yai, styled by British icon Kate Phelan. The final images effortlessly bring quiet luxury vibes to fast fashion output yet a vital element is missing.

Missing Video Content

The image content is really beautiful, so naturally we rushed to TikTok to watch the BTS and campaign video. Unfortunately there wasn’t much to see.

In today's digital landscape, content is so important, particularly in building authentic connections with an engaged community. In 2024 brands should be striving to create compelling narratives that resonate with their audience. This post delves into why BTS content is an untapped goldmine for fashion brands.

All images copyright H&M.

The Beauty and the Disconnect

The H&M summer campaign imagery, had all the components for audience connection, the model casting is great, the creative is strong and elevated touch of the campaign is pitch perfect. But to date H&M have only released two TikTok videos.

Despite H&M’s decent following, 450k, the two behind-the-scenes (BTS) videos have really low engagement. (Currently at 14k and 21k views, and a total of 6 comments).

This raises some crucial questions and makes us ask why are brands hesitant to leverage BTS content to its full potential?

Why BTS Content Matters

• Authenticity and Engagement

• BTS content offers a raw and unfiltered glimpse into the creative process, making it highly relatable and engaging to the audience. Consumers crave authenticity, and showcasing the effort, creativity, and passion behind a campaign will build a stronger emotional connection with the brand.

• Building Authentic Community

• By sharing the journey from concept to final product, brands can foster a sense of community. Fans and followers become part of the story, experiencing the highs and lows alongside the team. This communal experience can drive deeper loyalty and advocacy. Storytelling re-enforces bonds.

• Leveraging Influential Personalities

• Highlighting the contributions of celebrated figures like Anok Yai and Rafael Pavarotti can amplify interest. Fans of these individuals are likely to engage more with content that showcases their creative process and personal anecdotes. Rather than empty celebrity story (which has lost its appeal) we would see skilled professionals at work.

• Customers are Content Creators

• The customer base of all fast fashion brands are already well versed in content creation, they know current trends and are always looking to learn new techniques. Showing elevated content process is no longer just for photography students or wannabe Directors. GenZ is heavily invested in styling decisions, Hair and Makeup techniques and everything that goes into a shoot from initial idea to execution.

• The Final Output is no longer the end goal

• Customers rarely make the purchase jump from the campaign, instead assets must be leveraged in a different way and used to build real connection. Leaving from a shoot with 8-12 final images and 30s of video in general, for any brand, is a failed opportunity to create growth.

Brands need to take BTS content seriously, the final campaign images will not live long, but the content made around the shoot itself has high growth potential for customer base.

Potential output

Many brands have not reached this point yet and choose to remain heavily curated, gatekeeping their creative process. This is despite evidence showing the opposite approach is more impactful.

GenZ are natural image makers, BTS process fascinates them, then add into the mix

• the star power of both the Photographer and the Model talent,

• the challenges of shooting in a Jungle and Beach,

• the technical expertise to craft such beautiful imagery.

This is deeply rich territory from which even the most lo-fi approach will deliver excellent, high value content. 

Challenges and Considerations

While the benefits should be clear, brands must navigate certain challenges to successfully integrate BTS content:

• Negotiating Permissions

  Photographers and stylists may have specific preferences and restrictions regarding BTS footage. Clear communication and agreements are essential to ensure that all parties are comfortable with the content being shared.

• Additional Costs

  These can be considerable, but in terms of total budget, generating further BTS content as a percentage of the whole shoot cost can really pay off.

• Brand Voice vs engaging content

  Maintaining brand values in BTS content is crucial. This does not mean all content must have a polished production value. The approach H&M took for the content itself is good. The concept was to be shot by a model, on a phone, as true BTS diary. Its engaging and has a great lo-fi aesthetic.

  It does though suffer from being too heavily curated. When watched it gives a sense that restrictive rules were in place, the opposite feel of where the brand could potentially take the audience. 

Embracing Innovative Thinking

Fashion brands invest substantial resources into crafting stunning campaigns but often fall short in leveraging the full spectrum of content generated during these shoots. The H&M summer campaign serves as a good talking point for missed opportunity.

By sharing more than just the polished final images, brands can build a richer, more engaging narrative that resonates on a deeper level with their audience. 

Both GenZ and also Gen Alpha are used to free flowing behind the scenes content. Its highly likely they dont even view it as BTS because its so normalised with the people they follow. Strip away the artifice and talk directly to the viewer. 

Many legacy brands have not yet changed their thinking for content creation and community engagement, preferring to have tight control over the creative process. This has created a real opportunity for innovative brands to move into that space and build a genuinely engaged community that will grow with them. 

The industry is struggling with the current pushback against celebrity and high profile ‘influencers’ (see the Met Ball drama). Authentic BTS instead shows an opportunity for realness, for craft and knowledge and the genuine work of talented people. Its an incredibly rich area.

Conclusion

To truly connect with today's digital-savvy consumers, fashion brands need to step beyond showcasing just the final product. Embracing BTS content can drive innovation and open new avenues for growth but this cannot be attempted in an insincere fashion.

The curators cannot gatekeep and should be wary of inauthentic content that does not resonate. By sharing the journey, brands can foster authenticity, build community, and leverage personalities to create deeper, more meaningful connections with their audience.

Reach out to us to discuss how we can help you create compelling narratives that drive engagement and foster authentic connections.